果冻传媒

Before all that, over eighty students of the are working feverishly to get their self-built electric and autonomous race car ready in time. The URE19 represents a fresh start in many ways. At its core is a completely new monocoque, the load-bearing chassis part that houses the driver and around which the rest of the car is built.

Improved grip and stability

The new driver's area is narrower and longer, which allows for a larger steering angle. The driver also sits lower in the car. In addition, there's a new suspension design, including an adjustable anti-roll system. This helps distribute weight transfer more effectively across the wheels, which improves grip and stability.

What鈥檚 special about the adjustable system in the URE19 is that it reduces both pitch (the up-and-down movement during hard braking or acceleration, which causes the nose or rear to dip) and roll (the sideways tilt when cornering). 鈥淲ithout such a system, we鈥檇 be forced to choose a setup that either benefits one or the other,鈥� explains Tess Rademaker. She is a board member of URE and responsible for finance and operations this year.

鈥淏ecause of the new monocoque, we had to redesign and rebuild many parts,鈥� she says. 鈥淓xisting components from previous cars, like the uprights, no longer fit.鈥� These crucial suspension parts now need to be specially milled from aluminum blocks, which weren't ready yet at the time of writing this article. To keep moving forward, the team 3D-printed temporary versions. These are currently mounted on the work-in-progress chassis in URE鈥檚 workshop on the eastern edge of the 果冻传媒 campus. 鈥淭hat way, we don鈥檛 have to wait to continue building the rest of the car.鈥�

[The aluminum uprights fortunately arrived in time for the presentation on June 19 -Ed.]

Long days, great opportunities

Building a race car like this is a massive task every single year. Each team builds on the work of their predecessors. This year, they鈥檝e reused components from the URE17 and 18, like the four separate electric motors and an advanced LiDAR sensor (Light Detection and Ranging, a type of laser radar that measures distance and creates detailed 3D maps of the surroundings). But due to the new chassis, the team had to reinvent the wheel in many areas.

That means working long days. 鈥淭he board often works from nine in the morning until eleven at night,鈥� says Tess. Studying becomes secondary. 鈥淵ou might be able to take three courses during a board year.鈥� By comparison, the average 果冻传媒 student takes twelve courses per year. Still, she made her decision gladly: after getting her bachelor鈥檚 in Mechanical Engineering, Tess wanted to gain experience outside the lecture hall. 鈥淵ou learn a lot about organizing and collaboration here, make great industry connections, and even learn a few things about yourself.鈥�

Tess manages budgets, organizes testing days, and takes care of merchandise. Communications is also part of her role. 鈥淭hose are things I didn鈥檛 learn about during my studies, so for me it鈥檚 really valuable to now get involved with these kinds of activities.鈥� Luckily, she also got to roll up her sleeves herself: she helped laminate the carbon monocoque.

A hiatus from social life

URE has about eighty members, most of whom work part-time; averaging fifteen hours a week alongside their studies. The board, including Tess, is involved full-time. 鈥淚t does take a lot of your time,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou see your friends less and sports or exercise tend to fall by the wayside. But you get so much in return and learn an incredible amount in a short time.鈥�

Under the leadership of chairwoman Esmee Tetteroo, the team managed to secure a major new sponsor. 鈥淲e really focused on acquisition this year,鈥� Tess says. 鈥淭he funds we raise are actually meant for the next team. Each yearly team makes sure their successors start off strong. Just as we benefited from the work of URE18.鈥�

A notable highlight this year: a record twenty percent of the team is female. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 about sixteen people,鈥� says Tess. 鈥淓ven the board has two women: Esmee and me.鈥� She attributes the increase partly to active recruitment among female students.

Rollout

On June 19, URE presented its new car on the Koeveld at the 果冻传媒 campus. The rollout is traditionally the first moment the car is shown to the public. The URE19 didn't drive it yet during the reveal. Because of the redesign and delays in materials, URE hasn鈥檛 been able to test as much as they would've liked, and the team didn't want to take any risks.

Instead, they showed a demonstration video, and older models were on display, including the URE04, -09, -13, and -14. Some of these were privately restored by alumni and made a few laps around the Koeveld during the rollout.

Last time in Assen, then on to Hockenheim

Now the presentation is done, the final work begins. First comes the race in Assen, then Germany. This year鈥檚 Formula Student Netherlands will be the last edition due to a lack of funding. URE finished tenth overall last year but impressively took second place in the 鈥楥ost & Manufacturing鈥� category.

In Germany, the team will compete not only in the electric class but also in the autonomous races. With the push of a button, the URE19 switches from driver-controlled to self-driving mode. By reusing the LiDAR system from the previous version, the new car can 'see' one and a half times farther than earlier models -even in color. For autonomous driving, the team is aiming for a top speed of 70 km/h. Testing will show whether that鈥檚 achievable. With a human driver, the car should reach 106 km/h.

Getting access to the Hockenheim circuit isn鈥檛 as simple as registering: you have to prove yourself worthy. Teams must submit extensive reports on design, simulation, production, and safety. 鈥淭he organization is strict,鈥� says Tess. 鈥淚f you break the rules or act unprofessionally, you鈥檙e out.鈥�

Speed, precision and theoretics

During the competition, it鈥檚 not about direct races against other teams like in Formula 1. Instead, teams test their vehicles individually across different events, divided into dynamic and static categories.

The dynamic events, such as acceleration, skidpad (a figure-eight track), autocross, and endurance, focus on speed and precision: driving as fast as possible without hitting cones, with both driver-controlled and autonomous runs.

The static events are about the concept and preparation: teams present their business plan, justify their costs and production strategy, and explain their technical design.